KND: Aggressive Tendencies
by DC2030
Summary: Suppressed Aggression. Everyone has a breaking point. Side story as I work on KND: Legion's Shadow.
1. I: Aggression

**I decided to get a jump on this story...but I'll still working on Legion's Shadow while I work on this. This one won't have as much chapters as Civil War or Legion's Shadow, It'll just have longer chapters. Theme song of the story: 'Lies Greed Misery' by Linkin Park. **

* * *

_In the words of the immortal Nigel Uno: 'Kids Next Door Battle Stations'. That phrase, however, has no place in this tale. No, this story does not follow the exploits of the Nigel Uno as he fights adult tyranny in the stars or the morally dodgy Teens Next Door where Abigail Lincoln and Rachel T. McKenzie find themselves working for. This is the story of the new bringer of dreams, the new Sandman, as he is pushed to his limits._

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: 2 ½ years after Civil War**

Daytime. Nolan York sat at his desk, writing down history notes. His eyes slowly moved to the clock, noticing that the little hand was on the three and the big hand was but an inch from twelve. _'Come on summer vacation! Get here sooner!' _Nolan inwardly yelled.

"Now remember class, the summer will fly by faster than you can realize, so I urge you to not forget any of the things you have learned in this class this year" the elderly teacher said as he sat in his seat.

The final bell rang, indicating the end of the school year. The students all jumped out of their seats and ran to the door. The teacher chuckled at the sight of a group of students all trying to fit through the door. "Heh…kids today."

Nolan managed to squeeze past the mass of students and ran to his locker. He quickly entered his combination and gathered his things. He flung his backpack over his shoulder and raced to the front of the school.

"There goes ol' Nolan" a teen wearing a football jacket. "He's running off as usual."

"I prefer this Nolan to the other one actually" a cheerleader with long brunette hair said earning the nods of many of her inner circle.

"Yep…better than that…"

Nolan ran out of the front gate of the High School. He stopped instantly in front of a wall with a girl leaning on it.

"You almost forgot, didn't you?" the girl asked.

Nolan turned to her and smiled. "No, not really."

"Seemed that way to me" she smirked.

"Like I'm going to forget you Kayla? The only way that would happen is if someone wiped my mind." Nolan said intentionally, earning a shaky laugh from said girl.

"Oh…yeah, as if mind wiping was real" Kayla laughed uneasily as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well, sci-fi aside, shouldn't we be heading off now?"

"Oh, yeah and here I thought you'd forgotten." Kayla smirked once more before they left the grounds of James Woods High School.

The pair was silent for some time. "So…what's this about you getting a part time job working with Benedict Uno?" Nolan asked looking to his female companion.

"Oh, it's nothing really" Kayla said looking to her side. "He needs teenagers to help out his image in the public as he gets ready for the upcoming election."

Nolan inwardly cringed at the thought of Kayla working for the villain many of the KND had feared during his time. "Well…I think it's a good opportunity for you…it'll definitely look good on a college application." Nolan said smiling.

"Well now, I didn't know you were already looking into college, we've just barely gone from freshmen to sophomores." Kayla asked intrigued.

"Well...I can't say I'm not looking into it…but I am." Nolan looked down at the ground; taking notice of every crack and pebble they passed by. "So…this book signing thing worth it?"

"Hey, it's the only day he's here in Quahog and I'm getting him to sign my book" Kayla said handing Nolan a book from her bag.

Nolan read the title of the book, causing his eyes to shoot wide open in surprise. "The rode to stardom: The Ace story?" Nolan looked at the book questionably. "How does this make any sense?"

"What?" Kayla asked, finding Nolan's outburst questionable.

"No it's just…you like this guy's music? Wow…you know just how to make me feel inferior when you want" Nolan said handing back the book.

"Yes Nolan, it is all a part of my master plan to drive you nuts" Kayla said jokingly.

"Well there's the book store" Nolan pointed to the two story building with a line leading all the way to the front of a coffee shop three yards away from the book store. "I dislike lines."

"It's a long line, but fortunately we know the manager." Kayla smirked, nodding to the twenty-year old overseeing the book signing. "Come on." Kayla pulled Nolan's arm and ran past the line and into the book store. They made it to the book store manager and stopped before him.

"Hey Mario" Nolan waved to the manager.

"Hey Nolan" the manager said, not taking his attention away from the line. "I take it you two are here to get me to have Ace sign your book?"

"I'm here because I promised Kayla I'd go with her to this" Nolan then pointed his thumb at his companion "She's actually here for that." Nolan smirked as Kayla nudged him.

"Well, you're in luck that I can do that." Mario said as he leaned against a book shelf. "Just come back in an hour or two, then I could even let you get some one on one time with him."

"Wow Mario, I'm not sure if you're helping me out or just Kayla." Nolan said blandly.

"You've got an hour, do please spend it at tis store and purchase as many books to your heart's content." Mario motioned for them to go into the store.

They nodded and walked deeper into the store. "So…we've got time to kill." Nolan said turning to Kayla.

"Yeah, I'd ask you if you knew any good jokes, but you don't" Kayla laughed.

Outside, the sound of screams and wails of terror boomed earning Nolan's attention. "Kayla…stay here I'm going to check it out."

"Okay" Kayla said, watching Nolan walk to the main entrance of the Book Store. "Be careful."

Nolan and many other Book Store patrons peered through windows to see what exactly was going on outside. Nolan averted his eyes to the left, catching a glimpse of purple. Then to his surprise, an adult with red hair wearing a purple outfit slammed into the window, causing Nolan to jump backwards. Nolan quickly recognized the man, "Teen Tornado" he mumbled angrily.

"Hey!" the man yelled, noticing Nolan. "You're that brat from down the street!"

"I have no goddam clue what you are referring to" Nolan said, remembering to keep up with appearances.

"Oh! Right that whole decommissioning thing, my bad!" Teen Tornado apologized before spinning around and punching through the glass and wall. "I'm not sorry for that though!"

"You're insane" Nolan muttered as many book signing attendees and regular book store customers ran towards the exit. Nolan quickly walked away into the crowd and flung his backpack to the side, he opened it up and took out his gas mask, fedora and trench coat. He put on his trench coat, making sure to bring the zipper all the way up to cover his shirt. The gas mask followed next and the n the fedora.

As the crowd diminished, soon only Nolan and Teen Tornado were left in the front of the Book Store. Nolan, in his Sandman outfit, noticed that Teen Tornado was currently walking towards Ace at his desk.

"Listen up you! I don't like your music!" Teen Tornado yelled in his face.

"Then why do you listen?" Ace asked unmoved by Teen Tornado's outburst.

"I don't! But every day at the asylum! They would play your stinking music every second of every day!" Teen Tornado punched the desk, breaking it in two.

"Hey!" Teen Tornado turned to see Sandman.

"Ain't it a little early for Halloween?" Teen Tornado laughed maniacally.

"I am the harbinger of dreams, the link between the dream realm and the physical plain, envoy of the god of dreams Morpheus. I am Sandman, and I will show you a new meaning in dreaming." Sandman rose his gas gun and took aim. "I suggest you move out of the way Ace."

"Sure thing Holmes" Ace said as he calmly got up from his chair and walked away.

"So what? You're just some geek who's read one too many Spiderman comics! I'm the real effing deal, super powers the whole package. Heck, I've killed a guy! You think I'm frightened by you? Please!" Teen Tornado yelled menacingly before cracking up laughing.

Sandman glared behind his gas mask, all to knowing who Teen Tornado had killed. "Tell me…do you like dreams?" Sandman asked in a creepy tone.

"Uh…no…" Teen Tornado took a step back.

"Then how about nightmares!" Sandman shouted, pulling out a grappling hook gun and pulling the trigger. The hook and cord erupted from the barrel of the gun and shot forward at Teen Tornado. Teen Tornado countered by spinning rapidly, causing the hook to become lodged in the ceiling of the first floor.

"Ha! You don't have anything on me!" Teen Tornado laughed. His eyes the shot wide open as he noticed Sandman shooting forward from retracting the hook and cord.

Sandman stuck his legs up and kicked Teen Tornado off his feet. The crazed adult crashed through a book shelf and into a wall. The hook sprang out of the wall and finished retracting back into the gun. Sandman holstered his grappling hook gun and walked up to the injured Teen Tornado.

Sandman grabbed Teen Tornado by his collar and pulled him off the ground. "One more thing double T, you aren't a teen anymore, I suggest a new name…possibly one that reflects how much a deranged sociopath you actually are." Sandman said angrily. Sandman dropped Teen Tornado onto the ground and began to punch him repeatedly.

All his built up rage from years past, all vented on beating the man responsible for the death of one of his oldest friends from his former life half to death. Sandman stood up, still holding Teen Tornado by the collar. He dragged the unconscious villain and threw him outside of the Book Store.

Sandman walked back into the Book Store as the sound police sirens echoed off in the distance. Sandman quickly changed, throwing his outfit back into his back pack, returning to being Nolan York, former KND operative who by official records was decommissioned.

Nolan walked back into the book store in search for Kayla, remembering he'd told her to wait for him in the store. "Kayla?" he called out to her. Nolan turned a corner and to his surprise, he saw Kayla talking with Ace.

"So, you're a fan" Ace asked slyly.

"Well, yes I'm a fan of yours" Kayla said looking away and rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Hey…could I get your autograph?" Kayla handed Ace her copy of his book. Ace quickly signed the cover of the book and handed it back to Kayla.

"So…by any chance could I know your name?" Ace smirked.

"…Kayla, Kayla Valera." Kayla barely managed to say.

"Well Ms. Valera, how would you like a backstage pass to my next show?" Ace said pulling out a plastic yellow badge from his back pocket.

Nolan watched this play out, suddenly feeling his anger rise. '_No seriously…when the hell did Ace become a teen pop star?'_

* * *

**Benedict Uno's Mansion**

"Do you know why I've called you in Mr. Johnson?" Benedict Uno asked a teen in a tuxedo.

The teen smiled. "I believe it has something to do with my expert marksman skills."

"That and you're a hired gun who won't be a liability to me." Benedict handed the teen a manila folder. "Those are your targets, all ex KND operatives who are all suspected of being active TND operatives.

The teen opened the file and smirked, recognizing the six names on the list, he closed the file. "Same price for each one?"

"Yes, Mr. Popular, two grand a hit."

"Good" the teen turned around a began to walk away.


	2. II: Sleep Deprivation

**Alright, chapter two, after this I'll be getting back to Legion's Shadow which I'll update later.**

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island**

Night time. Nolan sat above a rooftop in his Sandman outfit. The traditional gas mask, fedora, dress shirt and tie with a trench coat, and his khaki cargo pants. '_Is this what it was like Mr. Dodds?' _Sandman asked himself inwardly, thinking of his predecessor. '_I mean with the whole nightmare thing, were you able to tell if it was a dream or not? Because I can't.'_

Sandman looked to his far right to see lights shooting into the sky as Ace's concert began. The Specter Dome was an open roof coliseum. Sandman wouldn't normally bring himself to even consider going near a public event such as a concert, but that's not why he was watching. Kayla was currently watching the concert from backstage that was good enough for him.

He looked up into the night sky, quickly noticing something unordinary. Up in the sky, he could see a human like object with wings flying low. "What could that be?" Sandman asked himself. He then took notice that the object in the sky was flying towards the Specter Dome. "Better check it out."

Sandman leapt down to another roof top then extracted his grapple gun from its holster. He aimed for a building ten yards away and pulled the trigger. The hook penetrated the concrete like wall and Sandman retracted the line propelling him forward.

The hook released itself from the wall as Sandman was propelled onto the roof of the building. Sandman ran atop the roofs as he raced after the object in the sky.

At the Specter Dome, the concert was about to start. Kayla stood back stage looking around at the many fans that all had back stage passes. She pulled out her cell phone punched in Nolan's number. "Come on, pickup" Kayla muttered to herself.

"_Hello, you've reached Nolan York, unfortunately I am unavailable at this moment in time, please either call back or leave a message at the beep." _Nolan's answering machine picked up.

Kayla shook her head. She then noticed Ace walked towards her general direction. "Hello Kayla, I trust you find the back of the stage as exciting as back out front."

"Oh yes, it certainly is interesting." Kayla said motioning to the white tiger in a cage. "I suppose that's a stage prop and not a real tiger."

"More or less." Ace said coolly "Hey, stay after the show and hang out with me and the band, it'll be cool. Not like you have a boyfriend who'd be offended by it, unless you do?"

Kayla's eyes drifted to the phone in her hand. "No, no boyfriend."

As the concert began, the human like object in the sky landed on top of the Specter Dome. The object revealed itself to be a man wearing a metallic helmet that covered his face, he also wore two huge shoulder guards and a chest piece. The man also had a machine with two spinning propellers, explaining his ability to fly.

"Alright" he said to himself as he took out a hand held scanner "Where are you?" The scanner showed a rough image of the Specter Dome and a flashing circle that was behind the stage. "There, there's the donor."

The hook and cord shot upward, stabbing into the side of the Specter Dome. Sandman shot into the sky as he was dragged up the side of the Specter Dome. The hook detached from the side, causing Sandman to fly upwards onto the top of the Specter Dome. Sandman scanned the open roof coliseum, catching sight of a man that resembled the object from earlier.

Sandman slowly approached the man, making sure not to gain the attention from anyone looking up into the sky. Sandman tapped the shoulder of the man, causing him to jump forward and spin around.

"Who are you?" the man asked as his propellers morphed into blades.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Sandman said, making his voice deeper.

"You may call me Soulless; I am here on important business that doesn't concern you" Soulless waved off Sandman, turning back around.

"Let me guess, you're here to listen to a boy band but you're embarrassed about it you built a flying machine and metal getup so you could." Sandman said dryly.

"You are simply a distraction, I am truly sorry for this." Soulless spun around and grabbed Sandman by the neck, lifting him off the ground in the process. "But no one will interfere in my work." Soulless smashed Sandman face first into the roof, causing it to crack slightly.

Soulless turned to the stage and leapt off the roof, his propellers spinning rapidly to allow him to fly.

Sandman groaned as he forced himself up. "Alright then." Sandman jumped off the edge and fell towards the crowd. He raised his grapple gun and aimed it at the railing atop the stage. He pulled the trigger. The hook caught the railing, mere seconds before Sandman hit the concert attendees. The grapple gun retracted the line, causing Sandman to be dragged towards the stage and Soulless.

Everyone in the crowd looked up into the air to see Sandman collide with Soulless. Gasps erupted as the two mask wearers crashed into the stage, putting a halt on the band.

"What's with all of this?" Ace shouted, enraged that his concert had been ruined by the two mask wearers.

"Enough!" Soulless shouted as he got onto his feet. He extracted his scanner from one of his shoulder compartments. "I've come too far to stop now." The scanner indicated his target to be only a few yards away.

Sandman shot upward and raised his gas gun to Soulless' face. "What exactly are you doing here?"

"Saving my daughter's life!" Soulless shouted before his propellers struck Sandman, causing the envoy of Morpheus to release his gas gun from his grip as he was shot off the stage. Soulless picked up the gas gun and walked back stage, following the guidance of his scanner to his target.

The many fans backstage ran away as Soulless drew nearer. Kayla dropped the bag she brought with her and began to take out pieces of a collapsible sniper rifle. "You!" Soulless leapt forward, dropping his scanner. He smacked the pieces of the rifle out of Kayla's hands and grabbed her by the neck. "You are the one I need."

Soulless raised the gas gun to Kayla's face and pulled the trigger. Kayla inhaled the gas and quickly knocked out. "I'm sorry." Soulless picked up Kayla's unconscious body as his blades began to rotate.

Sandman forced himself back onto the stage, taking notice of the girl in Soulless' arms. "Kayla!" Sandman yelled, scared for her life. Soulless began to take off into the sky. Sandman pulled out another gun and took aim. He pulled the trigger shooting a miniature tracking device at Soulless' foot.

Soulless took flew off escaping. Sandman holstered his weapon and took out a microchip from the bottom of the handle.

"Hey!" Ace called out to Sandman. "What was all this about?" Sandman avoided Ace's question and picked up Soulless' discarded scanner. He inserted the microchip into a slot, causing the scanner to recalibrate the tracker. "Hey I'm talking to you!" Ace yelled as he grabbed Sandman's shoulder. Sandman grabbed Ace's wrist and flung him into the crowd.

"Did he just do that to Ace!" a number of the crowd shouted disbelievingly.

"No one does that to Ace!" a cheerleader from James Woods High exclaimed.

"Get him!" a majority of the crowd shouted.

"Time to go." Sandman said not looking up from the scanner. He unholstered the grappling gun and aimed at the top of the Specter Dome. He pulled the trigger and retracted the line, providing Sandman a means of escape from the mob of Ace fans.

* * *

**Nevada**

Night time. Bob Johnson lay prone on a roof top as he aimed his sniper rifle. "Two grand for every dead TND operative." He said to himself as he lined up his shot. "Easiest money I ever made." He said before pulling the trigger.

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island**

Night time. Sandman ran down a street as he continued to follow the scanner's directions. Adrenaline flowed through his body as all he could think about was saving Kayla. The scanner led Sandman to a three story house. Sandman turned to the mailbox and read the name aloud. "Sullivan." Sandman rubbed his chin in thought.

Sandman turned and ran at the front door of the house. The former KND operative kicked open the door and rose his grapple gun. He checked his sides, finding nothing. He looked down to the scanner, which was pointing out the microchip to be downward. "Basement."

Down in the basement, Soulless was currently strapping down the unconscious Kayla down onto a bed. He turned to another bed with a sick looking nine year old girl on it with several machines and tubes connected to her. "It won't be long my daughter, soon I will purge you of your heart cancer, you'll be better again…I promise you this." Soulless said as a tear began to run down his metal helmet.

Soulless turned back to Kayla and shook his head. "I am sorry…but you will have to die so that my daughter may live…please forgive me." Soulless walked to a faucet and began to wash his hands. He dried them with paper towels and then put on gloves. He took out a scalpel and approached Kayla. "Please…forgive me…"

The doors to the basement blew open as Sandman rushed into the room. "Kayla!" he shouted. He turned to see Soulless standing over her with a scalpel in his hand. "Drop it now!" Sandman shouted, raising his grapple gun.

"I can't! I must save my daughter!" Soulless turned to face Sandman. "She's dying. Can't you see all I want to do is save my little girl?"

"What happened?" Sandman asked sympathetically.

"My daughter began to suffer symptoms of cancer, I tried to get here treated but there was an accident which resulted in my wife's death and my baby girl being laced into a coma. Her cancer was unlike any I had seen; It was primarily targeting her heart, nowhere else." Soulless said as another tear streaked his stainless silver helmet. "I was a doctor, I spent most of my time trying to find a cure…It cost me my job recently…and my daughter's condition is worsening. The only way to save her is to replace her heart with a suitable donor. I spent days checking medical records, finding this girl here to be a perfect match."

"Why didn't you take your daughter to a hospital or somewhere else to be treated?" Sandman yelled.

"The hospitals wouldn't take her, they believe her to be a member of the Kids Next Door. No hospital would admit her!" Soulless yelled as tears began to pour down his helmet. "Please! Leave! I must save my daughter!"

"At the cost of another life?" Sandman questioned. "I won't let you do this! There has to be another way!"

"There is none, I had to speed up my search three months ahead of schedule, my daughters cancer had taken its toll, the only way to save her was to find a temporary replacement, but it wasn't compatible enough!" Soulless threw off his chest piece to reveal a series of tubes behind glass in place of his heart. "Her cancer will destroy anything other than a perfect match, this girls death will save my daughter's life!"

"And what if it doesn't! What if her cancer does the same to Kayla's heart as it did yours?" Sandman yelled enraged. "I won't let you waste her life to only delay the inevitable."

Soulless dropped to his knees, dropping the scalpel. He covered his face as the tears fell like rain drops. Sandman walked up to Soulless and placed his hand on his shoulder. "How long does she have?" Sandman asked.

Soulless looked up to Sandman. "Minutes at best."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island**

Morning. Kayla shot up wide awake. She looked to her surroundings, finding herself to be in her room. She noticed she was in the clothes she was wearing from the night before and had no recollection of how she'd wound up back at her house.

The sound of her phone vibrating on her desk nearby caught her attention. She picked it up and looked at the name of the caller. She pressed the answer button. "Hello?"

"_Hey Kayla." _Nolan greeted Kayla over the phone. "_Look I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer your call last night, I was busy helping out Mario fix up the Book Store. Any ways I just wanted to check up on you and see how you were." _

"Oh…well I'm good" Kayla said into her phone.

"_That's great. Do you mind if I swing by your place and visit you in a bit?"_

"No, I don't mind at all" Kayla blushed a little.

"_Alright see you in a bit, bye."_

"Bye."

Nolan pushed the end call button on his cell phone. He removed his gas mask and set it down with the rest of his Sandman outfit. He quickly changed into his normal clothes and ran out the door. _'I haven't slept in a day'_ Nolan thought to himself as he felt the urge to collapse and let himself descend into the land of dreams. He, however, forced himself to push on, knowing fully well that Kayla was expecting him. _'Sandman needs to sleep, but right now I'm Nolan York, I don't need to sleep.' _

Nolan ran out his front door and raced to Kayla's house.


	3. III: Reccuring Nightmare

**Yeah, I said I'd update KND:LS after the last one but I decided to do this mainly because I just felt like it. But yeah some big reveals in ths chapter and some hints at whats going to happen further down the line in a sequel I have planned.**

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island**

Daytime. Nolan sat quietly in his room, his attention drawn to a TND signal he'd piggy backed on.

"_We have conformation of two deceased TND operatives, each one killed a day after the other, we believe there is a pattern." _A female voice over the TND broadcast said slightly distressed. "_All operatives are to check in with TND command periodically until we can find out who is behind these murders." _

Nolan hid the off switch of the radio. He stood up from his bed and headed to his window. Outside, he could see the current Sector Q tree house. He shook his head, already knowing of what had befallen Sector Q. Almost a year ago, the KND in Rhode Island had been shut down, leaving the state to be teen dominant.

Nolan walked down to his living room to see his mom watching a news channel. "Hey mom" Nolan greeted his mother.

"Hey Nolan, doesn't Kayla like that one band from the other day?" Mrs. York asked.

"…If you mean Ace, then yeah…I guess so." Nolan said blandly as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Well apparently from what I gather on the news, a bunch of fans are gathering today to outlaw a guy called 'Sandman'. Isn't that what they used to call Wesley back in the day?" Mrs. York asked.

Nolan poured himself a glass of milk and walked back to the fridge. "If I recall, he did say something about that." Nolan drank out of his glass and walked to the living room. "So what was that about a bunch of bat crazy fans deciding to go on a man hunt?"

"Something along those lines" Mrs. York said, paying no mind to her son's dry humor. "They also said that Ace himself is backing up the manhunt."

"Well that can't be good."

* * *

**Brookfield Insane Asylum**

Ace walked down the white halls of the asylum, closely followed by several body guards and fans. "Wait here" he ordered everyone. Ace continued to the visitor room where he was greeted by a guard. "I'm here to visit a John C. Fright."

"He doesn't really get that many visitors, only from some guy named York, what're you visiting him for?" The guard said intrigued.

"I have a job proposition that is not only supported by me, my fans, and also Mr. Benedict Uno." Ace took out a folded up piece of paper and handed it to the guard. "I would like to speak with Mr. Fright now to see if he's up to the task.

"Yes, right this way." The guard motioned through the door. "Wait there, I'll be back." The guard pointed to a table with benches before walking off.

Ace sat at the table, patiently waiting for the return of the guard along with the patient. The guard returned a few minutes later with a scrawny teen with glasses in tow.

"John Fright, meet Ace, he's got a proposition for you." The guard forced John onto the bench across from Ace ad walked away.

"So…what do I owe this visit?" John asked, visibly irritated.

"Are you familiar with a man named Sandman?" Ace asked.

"Why yes, he's the reason I'm here…." John trailed off as the sound of a Teen Tornado being dragged away in a strait jacket boomed throughout the asylum. "…And the reason for many others stays at this facility."

"What would you do if I told you John, that if you were to handle Sandman you would never have to put up with being here ever again?"

"Then I'd say that you give me my costume and then we'd have a deal." John smiled.

"Good." Ace stood up and was about to leave when John began again.

"Oh and Ace. Please, call me Affright."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: The Q**

"Can you believe this?" Mario asked Nolan as he looked out the Book Store, The Q, window to see dozens of teenagers protesting against Sandman.

"I can" Nolan admitted. "I did after all just toss the guy off the stage."

"You made some powerful enemies Nolan." Mario shook his head. "I here Benedict Uno is backing up the anti-Sandman policy."

"I don't really care, they could do whatever they want, they still won't be able to stop me."

"Hey Mario!" Edward called out from the storage room. "We've got a couple dozen books back here that need to be unboxed and shelved! Me and Koda can't do this alone!"

"Right, Nolan man the front, keep an eye on the protestors, I don't like the way they're organized." Mario said to Nolan before walking to the back.

"Right, yeah." Nolan said sarcastically as he walked behind the counter. "This better count for volunteer hours."

The sound of The Q's front door opening caught Nolan's ear. He turned to see Kayla walking into the Book Store. "Hey Kayla."

"Hey Nolan." Kayla returned Nolan's greeting. "You notice the protest outside?"

"Well, I'm actually surprised you're not out there with them." Nolan said resting his head in his palm, closing his weary eyes slightly.

"If this is about me going to Ace's concert just say so, no need to beet around the bush." Kayla said mirroring Nolan's actions. "But then again, maybe you're just jealous."

"Jealous? What do I have to be jealous of? It's not like he's got something I want." Nolan smirked. "Unless you're referring to how he walked up to you during all the hell that broke loose in here three days ago and gave you a backstage pass to his concert? It was kind of like him asking you out, but I know you Kayla. I trust you."

Kayla smiled. Memories of the concert before she blacked out emerged. She remembered Ace asking her if she had a boyfriend, she also remembered her reply. Kayla's smile slightly faltered.

"You alright?" Nolan asked, noticing Kayla's smile.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Kayla lied. "Hey, so…you wanna go do something?"

"Kayla…I know you, especially when there's something wrong." Nolan said concerned. Kayla was about to answer when the front door of The Q opened, taking Nolan's attention away from the subject and to the new customer. "Hello and welcome to The Q…" Nolan trailed off. His eyes widened as he recognized the customer. "John?"

"Hey Nolan." John waved to Nolan and then Kayla. "How're you two this fine afternoon?"

"John? Wait…shouldn't you be-" Kayla began to ask before being cut off.

"In that mental institute? I should be, but I was made an offer I couldn't refuse." John said, earning questioning expressions from Nolan and Kayla. "Before you ask, it was Ace who got me out. Of course I have to do something in return, but I am free from the confines of that accursed asylum. I tell you there's this one guy who keeps shouting, it's dreadfully annoying."

"Wait…Ace got you out?" Kayla asked disbelievingly.

"Well…I can't really tell anyone the reason why…but you two are my best friends. You see those protesters out there?" John pointed to the crowd outside The Q. "Tonight there will be a massive protest, which by the way is sanctioned by the mayor, that the protestors will go ahead and start a man hunt for Sandman targeting every known location he's been seen to frequently visit, such as this fine establishment."

'_Great' _Nolan inwardly thought.

"I will help organize the protestors…I trust you'll join us?" John asked.

"…Maybe, not sure. I mean I like Ace's music but I'm not crazy enough to go and start wrecking everyone's houses and stuff." Kayla raised her arms up defensively.

"It may interest you that Prom Queen has even ordered her teen operatives to participate in this event." John said directly towards Kayla. "Last time I checked you were a teen ninja."

"Well then" Kayla looked away. "I guess I missed that memo. Fine, I'll go."

"And what about you Nolan?"

Nolan thought for a moment. '_Are they serious? This has trap written all over it. Still…I can't let them do this…Sandman will be there.'_ "Maybe, I don't really like Ace but seeing as Kayla's going, I might as well."

"Good." John smiled creepily before walking away.

"So…" Nolan said turning to Kayla. "Where were we again?"

"Uh…well look at the time." Kayla started towards the door. "If this thing's going to go down I might as well check in with Natalie."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: York Residence**

Nolan sat in his room, pulling together his Sandman outfit. He stopped midway when an idea popped in his head. He picked up his SchMs gas mask and put it on. He pulled a plain black hoodie sweater from his closet and threw it on. He pulled up the zipper and threw on his hood. He turned to his closet mirror and looked at his reflection. "I believe this shall suffice."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: East Side**

Nighttime. A mob within the hundreds marched down the streets of Quahog. At the front of the mob was Ace who was flanked by Prom Queen and John.

"Remind me again why Benedict Uno suggested that you accompany us?" Ace asked Prom Queen.

"Because you need the muscle, crazy fans alone won't help you find this Sandman. Anyways, he's been interfering with teen businesses for the last year."

"Whatever, just when you see him, bring him down." Ace then turned to John. "You know what to do."

"Right" John then turned down an alley and walked away, pulling a badly stitched burlap sack mask out of a bag.

Kayla walked beside a number of teens, her eyes shifting side to side, searching for Nolan. "You alright, Kayla?" Kayla turned to see her team leader.

"Oh, nothing Natalie…just looking for Nolan." Kayla said truthfully.

"You mean that guy who used to be a KND operative?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, that's him."

"Well, good luck with that, because the moment he shows up I'm going to punch him for the trouble he caused us back then." Natalie punched her palm.

Nolan removed his gas mask as he entered the mob, stuffing id down his hoodie. He walked through the mob, noticing they were all carrying a weapon in some form or another. Nolan continued through the crowd until he caught a glimpse of Kayla. Nolan was tempted to walk up to her, but told himself otherwise.

Nolan began to notice the mob was breaking down doors to several buildings and windows. Torches lit and fire being spread. Nolan grabbed his gas mask and quickly put it on, he grabbed his grapple gun and aimed at a lamp post. He pulled the trigger and the hook and cord shot out, catching the attention of several within the mob.

The line began to retract, propelling Sandman into the air, landing on the lamp post. "Man, you guys went all out."

"It's Sandman!" Ace shouted, pointing at Sandman.

"You know, I could've sworn I only mess with villains…not teen pop stars who I honestly have no clue how they got to where they were. No, seriously didn't you used to be a pilot or something?" Sandman asked, raising a brow behind his mask.

"…Shut up." Ace flicked off Sandman.

"Now that's just rude." Sandman shook his head. Sandman felt something sharp hit his shoulder. He turned to see a dart sticking out of his shoulder. He pulled it out and inspected it. He then turned to his left to see John in his Affright costume holding a dart gun in his hand.

"Scared you, didn't I?" Affright said softly.

Before Sandman's eyes, everything began to change. The hundreds of people in the crowd turned into horrid demons as lamp posts turned snakes. "Holy…" Sandman gasped as he fell backwards off the lamp post.

"Well what are you all waiting for? Get him!" Ace yelled, pointing at Sandman. The mob charged forward at Sandman.

Sandman groaned as his eyesight blurred. He looked up to see the mob turn into monsters. "I take it you refined Legion's nightmare toxin?" Sandman said aloud towards Affright.

"Well I had a lot of time to think of a better formula during my stay at the asylum. You can thank soon to be President Benedict Uno for my early release."

Sandman got to his feet as the mob drew closer. Dozens of teenagers with clubs ran to the front of the mass and struck at Sandman. The envoy of Morpheus ran backwards, avoiding what he perceived to be blood soaked axes but was in reality wooden clubs.

Affright jumped down from where he was perched and landed next to Sandman. He smacked Sandman across the face with a club, sending Sandman to the floor.

_Nolan looked up from where he lay. Sitting cross legged beside him was a man in a black coat and a metal helmet with a tube. 'I recommend that you get up and start fighting back. Wesley never gave up, so why should you.' _

Sandman leapt back up and punched Affright, sending him backwards. "That's more like the Sandman I know" Affright said, his voice hoarse. "Tell me, what do you see with the nightmare toxin flowing through your veins? Do you see dead loved ones? The worst possible outcome in your life? Or do you just see something as trivial as spiders crawling around you? Tell me, I must know."

'_He's getting in your head Nolan. Dodds never let his adversaries get in his head.'_

"…Shut up." Sandman said aloud. The mob rushed at Sandman, weapons drawn.

"Tell me Sandman, what do you see? My bullies have preyed on my fears; I've decided to prey on others fears. Tell me, what do you fear? Do you see your fear?" Affright asked as he circled around Sandman as the gas mask wearer fought off his attackers.

"Do you see your dead father? Or your friends who'd been taken by bullets?" Affright asked, causing Sandman's eyes to widen at his questions. "Before you ask Sandman, yes, I know who you really are. As I spent my time at the Asylum rotting away, I turned to trying to deduce who you were, the way you knew my every move intrigued me, as if we'd known each other."

The mob pushed Sandman further down the street to a bridge over water. Sandman pulled out his gas gun and started spraying the crowd with his knock out gas.

"As I began to meet more of your crazed rouges such as Teen Tornado, Hint, Jonah Icarus, I figured out who you are." Affright said as the mob began to gain the upper hand over Sandman. "Do not worry my friend; I have no plans of revealing your identity."

'_You've screwed up. Dodds would never have let this happen.'_

"Shut up Morpheus!" Sandman yelled as he punched Garret O'Neal, the former Numbuh 99, in the jaw.

"So it is true. You see Morpheus, the god of dreams, when you've been exposed to the nightmare toxin." Affright said slightly surprised. "Fascinating, I'll have to document this finding after we escape this mess."

"We?" Sandman asked skeptically as he grabbed what he perceived to be a scaly talon, which in reality was the arm of Gwen Tucker, the former Numbuh 58. He kneed Gwen in the stomach and flung the KND traitor at the mob.

"Yes Sandman. We." Affright said before charging at Sandman, causing the two to tumble off the side of the bridge and into the river below.

"Quickly! Throw random objects at them!" Ace yelled to the mob, which followed his instruction.

The current of the river carried Affright and Sandman away from the mob and back deeper into the heart of Quahog. Sandman got onto dry land as he helped up Affright. "Why? Why help me?" Sandman turned to Affright.

"Because, you were my friend once, I owe you that much." Affright stood up and began to walk away. "But next time we meet Nolan, I suggest you ask Morpheus for help for you see, your nightmare will never end and so won't our conflict."

Sandman watched as Affright walked away. He removed his gas mask, noting that it had been cut and torn during the fight. Nolan got onto his feet and tossed the ruined gas mask back into the river, walking in the direction opposite of Affright.

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: The Q**

Morning. Mario leaned against a wall within the book store as he, Edward, and Koda listened to Nolan's tale of the events of yesterday. "And you haven't even slept?" Mario asked surprised.

"Yeah, isn't the whole prophetic dreams thing supposed to only happen when you're asleep?" Edward asked as he ate a breakfast burrito.

"I can't face Morpheus at the moment. I also can't believe John knows I'm Sandman and that he's out there, somewhere." Nolan said before yawning.

"You look like crap." Nolan ant the three employees of The Q turned to see Kayla walk through the front door.

"Oh, hey Kayla." Nolan said getting up from his seat to greet Kayla.

"Where were you, I didn't see you there." Kayla asked. She took notice of Nolan's appearance; he had bags under his eyes. "Did you even get any sleep last night?"

"I was there Kayla, I actually got punched by Sandman" Nolan pointed to cuts on the side of his face. "But no, I didn't get any sleep. I got dragged along on a search party after he fell into the river with John."

"I'm sorry." Kayla smiled sympathetically. "I was at the back of the mob, the only time I saw the guy was when he was on the lamp post." Kayla dragged a finger across the cuts on Nolan's face, inspecting them. "That must've been a hard landing after the punch."

"You could say that" Nolan said grabbing her hand and holding it.

"We should probably go and take inventory." Mario suggested to his friends and fellow employees, earning agreeing nods. The three former original Sector Q operatives walked away quickly, leaving Nolan and Kayla alone.

"Hey Kayla" Nolan said as he looked into Kayla's brown eyes. "Did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No, no I haven't" Kayla said as she looked into Nolan's brownish blue eyes.

"My treat." Nolan said as he took Kayla's hand and began to walk them out the door.

* * *

**Germany**

Afternoon. Bob Johnson checked his rifle's sightings from atop a building. He looked through his binoculars to see his target talking amongst her friends. "No hard feelings." Bob said as he raised his rifle and aimed. He pulled the trigger and in five seconds screams and mass panic began to break out.

Bob got up on his feet and took out a piece of paper with a list numbers on it. He crossed out the number '202' which was under two other crossed out numbers: 55 and 73.

"Let's see who's next…" Bob said as he began to walk away. On the list under 202 was the numbers 2030 and 362. "No way…looks like me and ol' Nolan are going to have that one on one after all. And boy, do I have the perfect way to off him in mind." Bob began to walk away as the sound of police sirens echoed throughout the high buildings.


	4. IV: Six Feet Under Pressure

**Yep...ch 4...this ones going to be dark. By the way, the song Bob sings is 'The Rocky Road to Dublin' by The Dubliners.**

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: York Residence**

Morning.

'_Dodds was a better Sandman then you ever could be…'_

Nolan sat in his bed, eyes wide open. It had been almost five days since he'd last slept.

'_I'd prefer that Sandy would've been the one to take up the mantel of Sandman rather than you.'_

"Yeah…but Sandy died over thirty years ago Morpheus…" Nolan said softly as he looked up at the ceiling. "…How can I hear you when I'm not even asleep?" No reply was necessary. "Right, Affright's nightmare toxin…that was like a day ago…"

Nolan threw his covers off his bed and sat up. He got off his bed and began to get dressed.

'_Why Wesley chose you to take up after him I will never know.'_

Nolan shook his head as he walked towards a beaker sitting over a Bunsen burner. Nolan inspected the blue liquid within the beaker. "Not ready yet." Nolan mumbled. "The antidote won't be ready for another day or so."

Nolan headed to his window to see that the sun had finally begun to creep up over the horizon. His exhaustion was visible; his eyes drooped down wearily, his mind and body barely keeping up. With the nightmare toxin still flowing through his body, Nolan's prophetic dreams that he'd gained after the death of Wesley Dodds, his father figure, would no doubt be amplified tenfold.

Sleeping was no option. Affright was still out there, no doubt working on another of his schemes. Sandman was now public enemy number one. TND operatives were being killed one by one.

Nolan walked away from his window and began to walk to his front door. Both Nolan York and Sandman have their own agendas, but right now he had to focus on being Nolan York. Nolan quietly chuckled as he left his house, closing and locking the door behind him.

* * *

**Quahog Cemetery**

Bob Johnson, former Numbuh 802 of the KND, one of the most popular teens of his time, contract killer currently employed by Benedict Uno, was currently dragging a shovel uphill in the cemetery.

"_In the merry month of June from me home I started,"_ Bob sang as he approached a grave. _"Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted, Saluted father dear, kissed me darling mother, Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother, Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born." _

Bob stabbed the shovel into the grass covered ground and began to dig. _"Cut a stout black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins; bought a pair of brogues rattling o'er the bogs and fright'ning all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three four, five, Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road and all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah!"_

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: Home Repair Shop**

Nolan walked up to the counter of the shop with a gas mask and paint can in hand. He set the items onto the counter and pulled out his wallet.

The teen manning the counter eyed the items suspiciously. "What's with the gas mask?"

"I'm painting my room, I can't stand the fumes." Nolan replied casually.

"Still pretty suspicious kid." The teen said as he scanned the price tags.

"That I'm purchasing a gas mask? I think you've banged your head one too many times over the head Garret." Nolan said handing the teen the money and taking the gas mask and paint can. "Playing football does have its down sides after all."

"I'd watch your tongue Nolan; someone might get the wrong idea of you having that gas mask and I also hear that Kayla's pals are looking for an excuse to jump you." Garret gritted his teeth.

Nolan only shook his head in response before walking to the front door. "…Yeah, a lot of people want to take a shot at me." Nolan grumbled.

Nolan began to walk home before stopping in his tracks. He set the paint can and gas mask down and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He look at the caller I.D. His eyes widened slightly before he answered the phone, making sure his voice was slightly hoarse.

"What is it Warden?" Nolan asked the caller as he checked to make sure no one was around.

"_Sandman, I hope this isn't a bad time." _The Warden asked from his end in the call.

"No, not at all. But I'd like to know why you're calling." Nolan asked as he picked up his recently purchased items and continued his way home."

"_It's June 28__th__ today, today is the birthday of one of our more notorious patients." _

"Even though I know who you're referring to, do you really mean Holiday is more notorious than The Fat Guy Strangler?" Nolan asked sarcastically.

"_You know very well that Brett Jubilee aka 'Holiday' is more insane than that kook." _The Warden said seriously. _"But today, he's asked that you show up at the Asylum and speak with him, he says it's a matter of life and death, and knowing him it may be him causing the death."_

"Understood, I'll be there in an hour." Nolan said before hanging up. He hurried to his house as he dialed up Kayla's number. To Nolan's dismay, his call went straight to voice mail. He hanged up, knowing to well it would be pointless to leave a message.

Nolan rushed to his room and changed into his modern Sandman costume. He threw on his plain hoodie, khaki cargo pants, combat boots, and threw on the new gas mask. Unfortunately, the gas mask only covered his mouth and nose, forcing Nolan to grab tinted motocross goggles. Nolan grabbed his gas gun, grapple gun, the scanner from Soulless, and the tracer gun and holstered them all.

Nolan, now Sandman, ran out of his house and ran on foot to Brookfield Insane Asylum, over more than twenty miles away.

* * *

**Brookfield Insane Asylum: 3 Hours Later**

As Sandman reached the gates of the asylum, the Warden accompanied by two security guards exited the asylum to greet him. "Warden Valera." Sandman nodded at the Warden.

"Sandman" The Warden shook hands with Sandman. "Nice new look, very appropriate it fits your new title as public enemy number one. I'm sorry though, but you're a bit late."

"Sorry, I walked." Sandman said humorlessly.

"I'm also sorry for Affright's release without him completing his rehabilitation."

"No need for apologies, I knew he'd get out sooner or later. I'm still, however, under the effects of his latest batch of nightmare toxin."

"Then we'll have to take extra precautions then." Warden Valera said as he motioned to the front door of the asylum. "This way, we've set up a special room for you to meet him."

Sandman walked beside the Warden as they entered the asylum. "So…how's the family?" Sandman asked.

"Well…we're doing alright. My daughter usually spends all her time with the teen ninjas and her boyfriend…but on the bright side her juvie record is finally behind her. My wife and I are going through our own trials though, we're trying to work it all out though." Warden Valera said rubbing the back of his neck.

"You got to look at the bright side sometimes in order to prevent yourself from falling into despair." Sandman said as they drew near a metal box that was surrounded by a dozen heavily armed guards.

"That's pretty deep, where'd you here that from?"

"My predecessor." Sandman said calmly as they reached the box. "I take it he's in there."

"Yes, behind four inches thick glass on one end, you'll be on the other end." The Warden said, giving Sandman the basic rundown. "Just see what he wants and tell us after."

"Will do." Sandman walked up to the giant metal box. Two guards reached for the doors and pulled them open for Sandman, closing the doors behind him.

As he entered the bleakly lit box, Sandman's attention was immediately drawn to the bald teen in shackles behind the four inches thick of glass.

"June 28th, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, what a wonderful holiday, such a bleak and joyous occasion." The teen said lowly as he stared at the floor.

"Holiday." Sandman said, gaining the teen's attention.

"Ah, Sandman. I see my birthday wish was granted." Holiday said lowly, but looking up at Sandman through the glass. "Do you remember April 1st? It was the day you foiled my plot and sent me back to this institute."

"I remember it very well, you're plan was to release a deadly neurotoxin into the air through whoopee cushions." Sandman glared at Holiday behind his goggles.

"And you foiled it so fast" Holiday sighed. "I still don't know how you found out what I was going to do."

"You're predictable Holiday, now, what did you mean by it's a matter of life and death?" Sandman asked in a threatening tone.

"Oh yes Sandman, on my birthday today, I did not receive the traditional cake or presents. My true birthday wish is freedom." Holiday said lowly.

"What does that have to do with life or death?" Sandman asked, only for the sound of gun fire to catch his attention.

"You see Sandman, the one who used to call himself Teen Tornado, had on June 26th changed his name, and on June 27th thought of a full proof plan to escape. For you see Sandman, the holiday he decided to escape on, is on June 28th, my birthday the most important holiday to me." Holiday said lowly and creepily.

Sandman turned around and ran to the doors behind him, trying to push the open. "That won't work Sandman; Tornado has most likely blocked it. The only way out is now on my side of the box." Holiday said smiling. "You'll have to bust through the glass in order to get over here."

Before Holiday could react, Sandman ran at the glass and punched through it, grabbing Holiday around the neck. Sandman reeled his arm back, smashing Holiday through the glass and flinging him at the locked doors behind him.

Sandman then walked through the hole in the glass he'd just created and walked to the doors on Holiday's side in the box. Sandman kicked the doors open, only to find that they lead to the patient recreation room.

Sandman turned to see an elderly man rocking back and forth, babbling to himself. "Hey Jonah." Sandman waved to the old man before running to a nearby guard. "You, we need to help the Warden, Teen Tornado is trying to escape."

"Are you Sandman?" The guard asked, slowly reaching for his holstered weapon.

Sandman quickly reacted, unholstering his gas gun and blasting the guard at point blank range. The guard fell over, unconscious. Sandman continued to look for an exit or any other way back to the room.

Sandman stumbled upon a door and kicked it open. He walked through it, to find himself back in the room he'd first entered the box. He looked around, only to find all of the guards unconscious with no sign of Warden Valera.

Sandman turned to the door he'd originally entered the room with the Warden, seeing the door had been ripped off its hinges. Sandman ran through the doorway, seeing the man formerly known as Teen Tornado swatting guards aside with wind as he dragged the warden with him.

"You're my ticket out of here warden! First thing I'm doing when I'm out, I'm going to kill that guy who put me back in here!" Tornado yelled.

"I'm right behind you." Tornado turned to see Sandman pointing his grapple gun at him.

"You!"

"Yes, me." Sandman pulled out his gas gun before pulling the trigger of his grapple gun, propelling the hook at Tornado.

Tornado quickly reacted, blasting the hook away from him and into the wall beside him. "Ha! You can't beat-wait this seems familiar."

Tornado's eyes widened as he saw Sandman shoot into the air as he retracted the line. He slammed into Tornado, knocking the former teen off his feet and onto the floor. Sandman stomped on Tornado and pointed his gas gun at his face. "Deep breathes…" Sandman said lowly and angrily as he pulled the trigger.

Tornado breathed in the gas, quickly losing consciousness. Sandman turned around to see Warden Valera getting back on his feet, holding his head in pain.

"That was unexpected." The warden said groggily. "So what did Holiday want?"

"Freedom, but he was merely distraction." Sandman said as he pointed to the unconscious Tornado.

"Good thing you got out when you did, you stopped this crazy top."

"Yeah…I did…" Sandman said as he began to think, his mind wanting begging for rest. "…Tornado was the distraction." Sandman rushed back to the box, pulling the doors open, only to find a security hanging from the ceiling and no sign of Holiday.

The Warden and two other guards soon arrived, each one gasping at the horrible sight. "He got away, he talked Tornado into trying to escape while we were focused on him…he's gone." Sandman shook his head. Sandman felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, he pulled it out to see the caller I.D. "Hey, can you guys handle this, I've got to take care of something back in town."

"You've earned it, we'll keep you posted." Warden Valera motioned for Sandman to go. "You've done enough for one day."

Sandman lightly bowed, before running off, answering his phone on the way. "Hey Kayla."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island**

Nolan ditched his Sandman garb at his house, changing into his regular street clothes. He ran down to meet Kayla at a local teen hangout. Nolan entered the teen oriented establishment, quickly finding Kayla sitting at a table, talking with two teens that Nolan recognized from The Delightful Children 2.0.

"Hey Kayla." Nolan said nervously as he walked up to the table. "You said you had something to tell me."

Kayla turned to her two teammates, without words she told them to give them privacy. The two teens got to their feet and walked away. One of the teens bumped into Nolan and cast him a death glare.

"Nice to see you too Connor." Nolan said dryly as he sat down beside Kayla. "Kayla, if its something I've done or if it's that I'm not there for you most of the time, I can explain."

"No, it's not that Nolan…it's just that I haven't been honest with you." Kayla said, looking away from Nolan. "You see Nolan…Ace asked me a question during the concert and…and we actually met way before I 'accidentally' called you." Kayla turned to face Nolan.

"Look…Kayla…I don't really care if you were dared to call me or something like that." Nolan said already knowing the real reason why she called him. "I also don't care if Ace kissed you or something. Kayla I...I-" Before Nolan could finish, his phone began to ring, interrupting him.

"Give me a second." Nolan said as he answered his phone. "Hello?" Nolan asked the caller. After a few seconds on the phone, Nolan's expression turned from annoyance to shear shock, which was amplified by the nightmare toxin in his body. Nolan turned to Kayla, pain visible in his face.

"Nolan…are you alright, what happened?" Kayla asked as Nolan's perception of reality began to act up again.

_You are week; Dodds never let emotions cloud his thoughts.' Morpheus said as he manifested in a seat beside Kayla._

"Look…Kayla, I have to go, something came up." Nolan said getting up from his seat.

"Wait, what's going on?" Kayla asked only for Nolan to kiss her.

"I'll see you later, maybe then I'll get to finish what I was about to say." Nolan smirked before running out of the teen hangout, leaving Kayla with both questions and a smile on her face.

* * *

**Quahog Cemetery **

Nolan reached the top of the hill in less than ten minutes. When he arrived, he found a teen with a giant hat covering his face with a shovel in his hands standing beside Dillon's grave. "What happened here?" Nolan asked, completely freaked due to the combination of exhaustion, the nightmare toxin, and the trauma of the event that'd transpired.

"I'm sorry sir, but we just found it like this. The grave dug up, the casket opened, and the body missing." The teen said as he hid a smile behind his hat.

"How could this have happened? Who would do this?" Nolan asked as he stood in front of the open grave, his back turned from the teen.

"Well…actually I do know who did it." The teen smiled as he pulled a gun. Nolan spun around, only to be shot in his left shoulder. Nolan fell down into the casket, blood flowing from the fresh wound.

The teen tossed a tape recorder and glow stick into the casket before using his shovel to close it. He began to toss the piles of dirt back into the hole he'd dug up earlier, burying Nolan in his friend's grave.

The teen tossed his hat away, revealing himself to be Bob Johnson. Bob dropped the shovel and proceeded to sing as he walked down the hill. _"From there I got away, me spirits never falling, Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing. The Captain at me roared, said that no room had he; When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy. Down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs, Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling; When off Holyhead wished meself was dead, Or better for instead on the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three four, five, Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road and all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah!"_


	5. V: I am Sandman

**CH 5 and also the end of the story.**

* * *

_A nine year old Nolan sat beside and elderly man at the edge of a dock, fishing rods in hand as they cast their bait into the water. "Thanks again Mr. Dodds for taking me fishing." Nolan said lowly as he sat eagerly waiting for a fish to take a bite. _

"_It's the least I could do Nolan." Mr. Dodds smiled as he reeled in his line, a small fish as big as a pinky on the end. "Your mother was about the only one to greet me once I moved into the neighborhood. The least I could do is showing her son everything a man should learn, such as fishing."_

"_But I'm a kid…" Nolan said, his head now resting in his palm. _

"_Yes Nolan, you are. But it's important to have a couple of tricks up your sleeve when you're in a jam." Mr. Dodds said as he cast his line once more after releasing the small fish back into the water. "You see Nolan, you being in the KND will be dangerous, you'll be fighting evil adults and children alike, you'll always need an edge to get above them. Take this for example, fishing, it appears that I'm teaching you how to feed yourself if you ever need to eat, I'm teaching you actually how to use a grappling gun as a melee weapon."_

_Mr. Dodds opened his box full of lures and pulled out a grapple gun, handing it to Nolan. "You see, Nolan. I'm teaching you how to handle your enemies. There are dozens of things you could use as a means of weaponry and escape, you could take a pair of keys and bust through a door, you could use this grapple gun to escape, you can always use your head to out thing your opponents."_

"_Right." Nolan said as he held the grapple gun to eye level. As something in the water caught his eye, Nolan aimed and pulled the trigger, shooting the hook into the water, catching the object. Nolan double clicked the trigger, causing the hook to reel itself in, bringing with it a fish the size of a fully grown adults hand. Nolan smirked as he took the fish out of the hook as it flopped. _

"_Well done." Mr. Doods said taking the fish from Nolan's hands and releasing it back into the water. "Well done indeed."_

* * *

**Quahog Cemetery**

Nolan's eyes shot wide open in shock. He groaned in pain as he found himself bleeding from the wound he'd sustained only a few minutes ago. He sighed as he noticed the source of light within the casket emitted from a glow stick which was next to a tape recorder with a sticky note placed on it. 'Play me' it read. Nolan reached out to the tape recorder and pressed the play button.

"_Hello Nolan, it's me your old pall Bob." _Nolan's narrowed in anger. "_You're probably wondering what's going on, so in short I was paid to kill you and a number of other guys who are suspected of being TND operatives. Some of them you may know, Numbuh's 202, Numbuh 55, and Numbuh 73. But in short, this is my special good bye to you, burying you alive in your oldest friends grave, pure poetry if there is such a thing. Now I'm going to kill Numbuh 362, and by my count you've got barely five minutes of oxygen down there, I'd hold my breath down there."_

The recording ended as Nolan crushed it in his hand. Nolan dug around in his pocket, looking for anything that could get him out of his current situation. He pulled out only his house keys and his phone, which was currently on its last bit of power. Nolan contemplated who to call…knowing all too well help wouldn't get to him in time.

Nolan dialed up a number and hit call, placing the dying phone to his ear.

Across town at the Teen Hangout, Kayla sat talking to Natalie Crespo and Amber Blake, two of her teammates from The Delightful Children 2.0. As she sat, listening to Natalie's latest plan to catch Sandman, Kayla's phone began to ring. She picked it up, smiling at the caller I.D. "Hey Nolan." She answered.

"Hey Kayla…" Nolan said as calmly as he could, the nightmare toxin in his body tearing his head apart within the confined space. "I'm sorry Kayla, but I'll have to tell you over the phone, I don't think I'll be able to see you again."

"Wait…are you-"Kayla began to ask only for Nolan to cut her off.

"No, not that Kayla, I mean that I'm going die Kayla…I just want you to know that I care about you…I love you Kayla." Nolan said as a tear streaked his face.

"Nolan what's going on?" Kayla asked concerned.

"I'm stuck in a coffin, I believe I've been buried and I'm running out of air." Nolan said letting out a laugh. "I guess now would be a good time to tell you that I was never-" Nolan began to reveal the truth of his decommissioning, only for his phone to die on him. Nolan sighed, beginning to accept his fate.

The parts despite Nolan had crushed the tape recorder, it continued to play. _"I still remember the time I killed Vana and Stevie…remember that Nolan? Remember how the judges just let me go? I was untouchable then I'm untouchable now. I also killed Carmine if you were wondering, and here's a shocker Nolan, I'm the one who killed your surrogate father, Wesley Dodds." _

Nolan's eyes shut completely. Anger, sadness, rage, all his emotions building up within himself.

'_Wesley wouldn't give up.' Morpheus' voice echoed through Nolan's mind. 'And neither should you.'_

Nolan's eyes shot open, that time instead of a hallucination; it seemed as if he'd actually heard Morpheus voice. Nolan grabbed his keys and placed them in between his fingers on his right hand. Nolan proceeded to stab the top of casket. Nolan continued to cut the casket as his fist began to bleed.

Anger and Rage diving Nolan to keep going, two things keeping him sane at that moment, taking his revenge on Bob and seeing Kayla again. Nolan broke through cover of the casket, causing dirt to trickle into the casket.

"Now or never." Nolan muttered as he grabbed the crack fully and began to pull. Nolan ripped the cover, causing all of the dirt built up on top of the casket to fall in. Nolan clawed his way through the still unsettled dirt, gasping for air.

Nolan's bloody hand shot out of the ground, grasping for leverage. He grabbed the settled grass and forced himself out and through the ground. Nolan coughed and wheezed as he collapsed, his feet still in the dirt. Nolan gasped as air filled his lungs. Nolan then noticed a pair of conjoined twins looking down at him in awe.

"Hey Rack, hey Ruin." Nolan waved at the two siamese twins.

"Hey Nolan." They waved back.

"…Visiting Dillon?" Nolan asked as he staggered back onto his feet.

"Yeah." Rack and Ruin said simultaneously.

"Sorry, but he's not down there." Nolan raised his left arm to pat the two brothers on their conjoined shoulder, but recoiled at the pain from the bullet wound. "Hey, I'll see you both later; say hi to the rest of the gang for me." Nolan said breathlessly before running down the hill.

Rack and Ruin just watched as Nolan disappeared down the hill. "…So I guess Nolan didn't get decommissioned?"

"It was very unclear."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: York Residence**

Nolan checked the antidote in the beaker, finding it ready. He pulled the beaker off the Bunsen burner and drank most of it. His mind instantly became less foggy as he sighed in relief. The nightmare toxin flowing through his body was now rendered null.

Nolan removed his shirt and took out a scalpel. He positioned the scalpel over the bullet wound and bit down. He dug into the wound and flung the bullet out of his shoulder. Nolan inwardly screamed in pain as he withdrew the scalpel, placing it on his desk. He cleaned his wound before taking up a roll of bandages and wrapping it up. Nolan bandaged up his bloody hand.

Nolan threw on his Sandman outfit with the addition of shoulder and knee pads. He checked his gear, before running out of his house.

Sandman already knew where Bob would be. "You've already taken three Bob, you won't take a fourth."

* * *

**Virginia: One Day Later**

Night.

Rachel T. McKenzie exited the store, beside her were Abigail Lincoln and Fanny Fulbright. "Can you guys believe what's been going on?" Rachel asked her friends and fellow TND operatives.

"Abby still thinks it's nothing but a joke." Abby said, referring to herself in third person.

"Ah tell ya lass, this be nuthin' more them some crude joke from them science nerds." Fanny said, agreeing with Abby.

"I'm just saying, maybe it's true, we haven't heard anything from Kim in a while."

A mile away, atop a high building, Bob Johnson lay prone as he checked his rifle. He emptied the clip, double checking that it had ammo. He checked the sightings of his rifle, smirking at the end result.

He pulled the sniper rifle up onto his tripod and steadied it. He adjusted it so he was aiming a few feet away from Rachel, who was unknowingly walking into his line of sight.

On the roof top beside the one Bob lay. Sandman narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of Bob. He drew out his grapple gun and aimed at the barrel of the rifle.

Bob smirked. "Four dead TND operatives equals eight grand, a fifth means ten grand, a nice payday." Bob's trigger finger began to squeeze around the trigger as Rachel walked into his line of sight. He pulled the trigger, only for a hook to grab onto the barrel and pull the rifle away of its target.

The bullet impacted the wall to the trio's side. "Take cover!" Rachel ordered, as they scrambled behind objects.

"Dammit!" Bob cursed as he jumped onto his feet. His eyes tracked the cord connected to the hook back to its owner. "You cost me the element of surprise you freak."

"You're a killer who was just about to kill again. I will break every bone in your body and then I will bring you back to your employer and show him what happens to those who cross the line between wrong and right." Sandman said lowly, his eyes narrowed behind his tinted motocross goggles.

"And you're about to join my body count!" Bob yelled as he raised his rifle and took aim.

Sandman reacted by whipping the grapple gun to his right, causing the rifle in Bob's hand to jolt to his right, sending the bullet intended for Sandman to be sent off to the side. Sandman double clicked the trigger, retracting the hook and cord while ripping the rifle out of Bob's hands.

Sandman caught the rifle and inspected it. "I take it that this is the weapon you killed your victims with." Sandman said inspecting the rifle.

"All but one actually." Bob drew out two pistols. "His death was more creative." Bob began to shoot at Sandman, causing him to jump behind cover. "You think you can take me? I've killed over a hundred people! I can kill you."

"You can kill a man, but not an ideal." Sandman said as he jumped out behind his cover, landing behind Bob. He sweep kicked Bob off his feet, and grabbed him by the neck. Sandman punched him across the face before throwing him to the ground. "You kill and kill for profit. Not once have you been stopped, until today!"

Bob forced himself up, drawing a knife from a concealed compartment in his jacket. He stabbed at Sandman, who dodged each strike. Bob pivoted around before stabbing strait at Sandman. Sandman blocked by catching Bob's wrist.

Bob dropped his knife into his other hand and stabbed Sandman in the side. Sandman backed up, holding his side as he pulled the knife out.

"You know, you remind me of someone I killed once." Bob taunted as he grabbed one of his pistols that was laying on the roof. "He wore a gas mask like you, but he was about eighty when I killed him…I guess I really can't kill an ideal." Bob raised his gun aand aimed. "But I can still kill the man."

Sandman dodged as Bob shot at him. A stray bullet impacted one of his shoulder pads, throwing his balance slightly off. Sandman pulled out his grapple gun and shot at Bob. The hook crashed into Bob, knocking him off his feet. "You've killed a number of my friends Johnson!" Sandman jumped and punched down, only for Bob to roll away. "You're going down, hard."

"Please, I'm untouchable!" Bob jumped to his feet and raised his gun once more, taking aim.

"Please!" Sandman yelled. He smacked the gun out of Bob's hand and proceeded to beat him to a pulp. "You've pushed me farther than anyone else! And it is time that someone broke that one track thought process of yours!" Sandman threw Bob's semiconscious body to the side and walked to the sniper rifle that he threw to the side. "And you've made one fatal mistake."

* * *

**Father's Mansion**

Night.

Benedict Uno sat at the end of his massive table as he dined with many of his colleagues. "Well the KND is almost done." Benedict smirked. "They've lost most of their territory and now only have the Moon Base."

"Not to mention we took out all of their satellites and space cannons." Cree Lincoln added.

"Yes, that too." Mr. Boss smiled as he gnawed on a cigar. "But Benedict, didn't you hire that one guy to knock off a number of former KND operatives?"

"Yes actually, but that is merely a cover for the real plan." Benedict smirked. "You see, the real plan was just to give the TND something to worry about as we further put kids in check. I also got to put a number of nuisances to death."

Everyone around the table burst out laughing. Their laughs turned to screams as Bob was thrown through the window behind Benedict, a smoke grenade attached to his clothing. As smoke filled the room, the power in the mansion was cut. The only source of light being a single candle.

"The lights!"

"What's going on!"

"Ladies, gentleman." Sandman said lowly in a threatening manner. "I am The Sandman, and I bring you not a dream neither a nightmare. But reality. One of the teens your hitman killed, Kimberley Adams, was in fact the daughter of the German Consulate. The gun that he used to kill her is now sitting in her father's office as his top men deduce that the bullet did in fact come from that gun."

Sandman reached for a glass and emptied out the water as he approached the candle. "From this moment on, none of you are safe."

* * *

**Quahog, Rhode Island: Valera Residence**

Morning.

Kayla groggily walked down her stairs as the doorbell rang once more. She rubbed her eyes, dead tired from searching for Nolan. When she answered the door, to her surprise, there stood Nolan, bags under his eyes and dried blood on his right hand.

"Nolan? What happened to you?" Kayla asked, once more concerned for the boy before her.

"What can I say, someone dug up Dillon's grave, that was the call I got when I left earlier." Nolan said as he rubbed his tired eyes. "I found his casket opened, next thing I knew I got shot and fell into the casket and someone buried me in it. That's when I called you."

Kayla stood there, her mouth slightly hanging open. "Look, Kayla, I'm here to finish our conversation…because over a dying phone isn't honestly good enough."

Before Nolan could continue, Kayla hugged him, her head resting on his shoulder. "I love you too Nolan."

Nolan could only smile as he returned her affection. "Look, later you and I should go do something."

"Sure, yeah I'd like that." Kayla said as a tear ran down her face.

"I hear their holding a carnival or something at the park down my street latter today, that good enough?" Nolan asked, still holding Kayla close to him.

"Yeah…that'll work." Kayla said as she let go of him, backing up slightly. "Well…I guess I'll see you then."

"Yeah…I don't know about you but I'm dead tired." Nolan said backing away from the doorway. "Goodnight Kayla." Nolan said as he began to leave, smiling.

"Good morning Nolan." Kayla smiled as she closed the door.

Nolan looked up to see the sun begin to rise. His smile turned into a smirk as he left set off to his home, knowing all too well that both he and Sandman would finally have to sleep after nearly seven days without rest and constant struggle.

"There is no land beyond the law where tyrants rule with unshakable power. 'Tis but a dream from which the evil wake to face their fate, their terrifying hour. The hour of Sandman."


End file.
